Five tips for making better fast food choices

Tips for making healthy choices when ordering fast food.

With so many fast foods available, it’s hard to know which one is best. Even the ‘healthy’ options can contain hidden kilojoules, fat and sugar. So keep the following tips in mind next time you order a takeaway meal.

1. Portion control: Choose the smallest size available and refrain from up-sizing. Bigger is not usually better for your waistline.
2. Add colour: Choose the food with the most colour. More colour means more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
3. Know what’s in your food: Spend some time looking at the nutrition information for your favourite takeaway and choose the best option. Most fast food outlets have this information in-store or online.
4. Choose fatter chips: If you have to have some sort of fried potato, choose wedges or thick-cut chips if they are available as thinner fries absorb more oil.
5. Be salad smart: Salad can be a nutritious, low-kilojoule option or it can be laden with fat. Keep an eye on what you include in your salads – croutons, bacon, cheese and creamy dressings can make the kilojoule content soar – and when available, choose lite dressings.